Walking doll



April 15, 1952 M. RlEcHl-:LsoN Y 2,593,187

WALKING DOLL Filed Jan. 30, 1950 Patented Apr. 15, 1,952

s PATENT oFFlcE WALKnvG DoLL f MorrisRiechelson, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application January 3o, 195o,"seria1No. 141,245

This invention relates to a doll or mannequin and aims to provide a novel construction of the type having a relatively movable body and associated members adapted to be manipulated to simulate walking.

Aprime object is to produce such a construction as will enable use in its manufacture of any standard body with or Without standard legs, arms and head manufactured in the United States, of composition, plastic, or the like material without machining, or other mutilation or weakening, the construction thereby being built around the standard doll part `or parts and attaining maximum simplicity and ease of assembly, resulting in relatively inexpensive manufacture.

A further object is to provide a construction wherein `mechanism Ydisposed within the body and legs secures them operatively together for relative movement in simulation of Walking, preferably in connection with a coacting head without direct fastening of the mechanism to or through the Wall of the body.

Another object is to provide an improved mechanism for operative association within a doll body and movable legs, as a shaft suspended within the body having a bearing through which the shaft loosely extends, and on which sleeves connected to the leg members are journaled, such sleeves having pins rising therefrom and extending loosely through the 'openings of a crank carried by said shaft.

Again, an object is to produce a construction wherein the body and parts are effectively guided in movement, Wobbling of the head is avoided, and the body cannot undesiredly move up or down.

Still further I aim to provide a construction wherein my improvements may be essentially made from well-known, easily procurable, inexpensive standard parts, such as rod or bar material, pipe lengths and cotter keys.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from consideration of the description following taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating one operative embodiment by way of example.

In such drawings:

Fig. l is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken through the doll;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on the line 3-43 of Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts throughout the diiferent views, a

doll or mannequin is shown, having a body A, head B, legs C, and optionally having arms,D.

Said body A is of the standard constructionmanufactured in the United States, that is molded from composition or plastic material initially in two sections which are subsequently united along a longitudinal plane at a. The neck of body A is open at the top and extends into an opening of head B, such parts loosely engaging at spherical surfaces at lr, thus providing a universal or ball yand socket joint or connection. Said body also has openings adjacent the bottom into which the legs C extend so that their engagement along spherical surfaces c will provide universal or ball and socket joints. When the arms D are employed, they enga-ge in openings of the body Ialong spherical surfaces d affording universal or ball and socket joints, the arms being connected by an elastic or equivalent element e. Like body A, the legs C, arms D and head B are preferably made of standard'parts and of the same materials in two sections joined along a longitudinal plane respectively at f and g.

Said standard construction of head B provides recesses or slots h therein which advantageously form seats to mount a cross-rod I0. 'Ihe latter extends loosely through a shaft I I which is thus suspended centrally and longitudinally of the head and body, and having removably positioned thereon a plug I2 of wood or any other suitable material which is impassable upwardly through the opening I3 in the neck of body A, and which cannot move downwardly into the body as it rests on acotter key I4, pin or any equivalent abutment removably passed through the shaft I I. Due to this feature, the body and head cannot unduly move longitudinally with respect toeach other, but the plug is so shaped that universal movement may take place. Said legs C at their tops have mounting members in the form of sleeves I5 secured relatively immovably thereto in any suitable manner, as by means of pins I6 and suchsleeves extend horizontally through and beyond openings I1 at the top of the legs and interiorly of body A. Said sleeves are journaled on opposite end portions of a bearing I8 preferably in the form of a tube or sleeve, and the shaft II extends loosely and rotatably between the sleeves I5 and through the openings I9 in the bearing I8. Above the sleeves I5 and bearing 4 sleeves I5 to afford a more rigid connection. The legs C', the axes of pins 22 and shaft I I are preferably held normally in a common plane by means of a spring element 24 which bears against one side of the shaft II and is detachably connected at 25 to the pins 22, always being under tension. This spring 24 may be dispensed with, if desired.

It will be understood that in operation the doll is manipulated usually by grasping the body A and placing one leg C in contact With the floor, table top or the equivalent, and then pushing the body forward so that the other leg will engage such floor, table top or the equivalent, the pushing being repetitious, so that as each leg moves, it will turn its sleeve I5 on the bearing I8 and will move the latter and shaft Il on the vertical axis of the latter in vieW ofthe connection of the pins 22 with the crank 20, the head B turning with the shaft II.

It is to be understood that any equivalents for the body or other parts may be employed, although it is highly advantageous to be able to use the standard body parts and other standard parts set forth as well as bar and rod material of metal, plastic or the equivalent for the rods, pins and shaft, and lengths of pipe of the same material for the sleeves and bearing, as Well as the usual cotter keys.

Various changes may be resorted to, provided they fall Within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

A doll having a head, a body provided with openings adjacent the bottom thereof, legs joined to the said body, the upper ends of the legs extending into said body openings, the engagement being along spherical surfaces to provide for motion of said legs relative to said body, transverse aligned sleeves one for each leg extending along the bottom of said body, said sleeves being respectively pivotally connected to said legs. a bearing member intermediate said sleeves having its ends interfitted With the adjacent ends of said sleeves, a pin extending radially from each sleeve and upwardly into said body, a longitudinal oscillatory shaft mounted Within said body and having its upper end connected within the head, the lower end of said shaft extending through said bearing member radially thereof, and a plate carried by said shaft, said plate having connection with said pins so that oscillation of said shaft will move said legs forward and backward.

MORRIS RIECHELSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

